A career as a signaller

[Buiadh]

Questions

I have an interview booked for Thursday 06/03 for a G2 trainee signaller position at Dundee.
I have a few questions -

- Does the fact I don’t have a full driving license put me at any disadvantage? (Despite me living very close to the place I’ll be at) will I likely be based in Dundee for a while due to the fact I’m a Trainee?

- How many positions are available for this role at my location?

- How many people get to Assessment Centre Interview stage ?

Many thanks!
(P.s - if anyone is able to give me a more in depth explanation to what the Feedback report says - can you DM me.) - thank you vm!

For your first question, the chances of you being based in Dundee are slim to none, there are no open positions there and if there were they'd be taken by internal applicants first. You'll find yourself based in one of the Tayside/Fife boxes. When they hire trainees now they often don't advertise for a box, they advertise for the region in the hope that they'll have more idea where you'll go by the time you finish training.
A lack of a driving licence might be an issue, I'd mention it in your interview and aim to get a full licence asap.

Unsure on question two, usually between 1 and 4 trainees at a time per region. Without being the hiring manager I wouldn't know.

Even more unsure on question three, sorry.

Good luck for your interview.

 

[ott]

For your first question, the chances of you being based in Dundee are slim to none, there are no open positions there and if there were they'd be taken by internal applicants first. You'll find yourself based in one of the Tayside/Fife boxes. When they hire trainees now they often don't advertise for a box, they advertise for the region in the hope that they'll have more idea where you'll go by the time you finish training.
A lack of a driving licence might be an issue, I'd mention it in your interview and aim to get a full licence asap.

Unsure on question two, usually between 1 and 4 trainees at a time per region. Without being the hiring manager I wouldn't know.

Even more unsure on question three, sorry.

Good luck for your interview.

Thank you for your responses. I’m in the process of obtaining a full license atm, wouldn’t say I’m too far off!
I’ll still mention it, I just hope it wouldn’t put me at any disadvantage, especially considering I think they asked that question when I first applied online.

 

[nom de guerre]

What grade is Bristol panel these days?

I know you’re no longer looking at Brizzle, but in case anyone else might be interested: G5. (Just noticed on the internal list.)

 

[muz379]

- Does the fact I don’t have a full driving license put me at any disadvantage? (Despite me living very close to the place I’ll be at) will I likely be based in Dundee for a while due to the fact I’m a Trainee?

An actual driving license isn't a requirement to be a signaller (it is for a MOM or LOM) , just the ability to get to your location without relying on public transport because of the shift times .

Obviously a car is the most popular way to do this . But I do there are people without licenses who walk or cycle because they are near enough to do so .

As long as you can demonstrae an ability to get there under your own steam you shouldn't be at a disadvantage .

 

[Dazza75]

Yeah you have to put the hard work in. I am a believer that you get out what you put into something.

Switching off at the weekend is also important, however I have only fully switched off for 1 weekend maybe 2. I always think of a few bits from the week at least. It just pops into my head and I can’t help it. Even just sitting watching tv with the family, I’ll start going over bits in my head but still be here watching with them, it’s mad. Fully taken over my life, but only short term. I still spend good quality time with them when I’m home for the weekends though.

You’ll love it when you start as it is actually loads of fun, despite being hard work. If you want to sit and try and learn anything before IST, take the advice of people here and only learn the bell codes for classes of train if anything. Everything else makes sense and is explained as you do the course. We got given sheets on our 2 weeks e-learning of a list of bell codes prior to IST. I learnt the whole list basically minus a few, only to forget half, if not more as you have so much else to learn. The bell codes naturally slot in when they are required, so don’t worry about them. Just a tip as I know some people want to try and learn as much as possible. Just trust the course and you’ll be fine.

Cheers mate, what a star you are, as are loads on here. Always plenty of sound advice given by really knowledgeable people who care, I think it's brilliant.

You're right, put in the hard work and you get the rewards, you get what you put in. I'm glad you're grafting away on the course and if it filters slightly into your weekends, so be it. I was told it would near enough take over your life for 12 weeks but then all would be good and back to the norm to some degrees once you'd done the hard work. At least you dedicate plenty of weekend time to your wife and daughter and you're still getting a balance.

Now to learning these bell codes that you tipped me off about...... probably to forget half of them!! Cheers mate and keep up the hard work.

 

[The Difference]

Cheers mate, what a star you are, as are loads on here. Always plenty of sound advice given by really knowledgeable people who care, I think it's brilliant.

You're right, put in the hard work and you get the rewards, you get what you put in. I'm glad you're grafting away on the course and if it filters slightly into your weekends, so be it. I was told it would near enough take over your life for 12 weeks but then all would be good and back to the norm to some degrees once you'd done the hard work. At least you dedicate plenty of weekend time to your wife and daughter and you're still getting a balance.

Now to learning these bell codes that you tipped me off about...... probably to forget half of them!! Cheers mate and keep up the hard work.

Not a problem mate. Exactly that, I don’t sit constantly with my books and laptop out, but I have the Rule Books on my phone and if I ever want to refresh myself on anything, I just check them. My mind is one that can’t help but think about bits I have done that week when the weekend comes, so I do go over stuff in my own head. As somebody else said, the course itself isn’t hard, it’s just so much information in a short space of time to learn and remember. Some people can completely switch off and others can’t, and that’s fine. As long as you find the balance that is right for you and your family.

I wouldn’t worry too much about the bell codes, honestly. But if you do want to learn anything, just do the train classes and no more. I learnt them and forgot half them until they were relevant to the course content too, so don’t feel it’s a must. I just remember wanting to learn so much before my IST started, and I ended up taking advice from this page and learning nothing, which I’m glad for.

 

[cxlla]

I have my medical in Derby on Tuesday. Just checking, is there parking at Derby DU?

How long after accepting the role did it take for them to send you the info regarding booking a medical bud?

Thanks

 

[Bexifer]

'

How long after accepting the role did it take for them to send you the info regarding booking a medical bud?

Thanks

I accepted the role on Tuesday, received contract the same day and sent it straight back. The call to book the medical came on Thursday but I expect that’s due to the timeline of signal school starting in May. I wouldn’t worry too much if you’ve not had the call yet. I imagine they do them in order of start dates.

 

[Lkw]

Hi All,
Received this email today. Disappointing to say the least. I was wondering if anyone has been contacted for assessment centre interview within 6 months after receiving this?
Or, is this a game over email, and I will need to search and wait for another possible location/grade being advertised in future?
I am within the required distance so it must have been due to volume of applications received.
Basically, I am wondering is there any chance they might contact me in future, without me taking further action, or do I need to start again with the search.

 

[tiptoptaff]

Hi All,
Received this email today. Disappointing to say the least. I was wondering if anyone has been contacted for assessment centre interview within 6 months after receiving this?
Or, is this a game over email, and I will need to search and wait for another possible location/grade being advertised in future?
I am within the required distance so it must have been due to volume of applications received.
Basically, I am wondering is there any chance they might contact me in future, without me taking further action, or do I need to start again with the search.

Hi mate

If it's because you're over the distance, you'll need to email them if you see a location come up within the travel time in the next 6months.

In January I applied for Bristol and got the same as I was too far away. Cardiff came up last month and I emailed them and they moved my application over.

After 6months you'd have to reapply.

Hope this helps

 

[rjb2025]

Hi All,
Received this email today. Disappointing to say the least. I was wondering if anyone has been contacted for assessment centre interview within 6 months after receiving this?
Or, is this a game over email, and I will need to search and wait for another possible location/grade being advertised in future?
I am within the required distance so it must have been due to volume of applications received.
Basically, I am wondering is there any chance they might contact me in future, without me taking further action, or do I need to start again with the search.

I also got this. I only live 3 miles away from the chosen location and it’s a very short commute. So gathered that I hadn’t been given the assessment centre because of the higher volume of applicants (so they say) they also emailed me to let me know that all my details and application is still saved on file and if anything pops up they will be back in touch in the next 6 months

 

[ZackCulross]

Hi All,
Received this email today. Disappointing to say the least. I was wondering if anyone has been contacted for assessment centre interview within 6 months after receiving this?
Or, is this a game over email, and I will need to search and wait for another possible location/grade being advertised in future?
I am within the required distance so it must have been due to volume of applications received.
Basically, I am wondering is there any chance they might contact me in future, without me taking further action, or do I need to start again with the search.

they will not contact you, within the 6 months you can apply again and not need to take the tests again, after that you will have to do the tests again.

 

[rjb2025]

This was the follow up email..

 

[Ducatist4]

When you do all your tests and assessments etc you will be scored. There is no pass or fail but your scores will be used to rank you against all the other candidates applying for the same vacancy. The top however many will go though to the next stage and the remainder will get that email saying thanks, but no thanks.

 

[rjb2025]

When you do all your tests and assessments etc you will be scored. There is no pass or fail but your scores will be used to rank you against all the other candidates applying for the same vacancy. The top however many will go though to the next stage and the remainder will get that email saying thanks, but no thanks.

That sounds about right. It’s a nicer way of saying you have been unsuccessful imo

 

[Lkw]

That’s what I was thinking. Thanks all for the replies and best of luck to everyone going to the next stage.

 

[Dazza75]

Not a problem mate. Exactly that, I don’t sit constantly with my books and laptop out, but I have the Rule Books on my phone and if I ever want to refresh myself on anything, I just check them. My mind is one that can’t help but think about bits I have done that week when the weekend comes, so I do go over stuff in my own head. As somebody else said, the course itself isn’t hard, it’s just so much information in a short space of time to learn and remember. Some people can completely switch off and others can’t, and that’s fine. As long as you find the balance that is right for you and your family.

I wouldn’t worry too much about the bell codes, honestly. But if you do want to learn anything, just do the train classes and no more. I learnt them and forgot half them until they were relevant to the course content too, so don’t feel it’s a must. I just remember wanting to learn so much before my IST started, and I ended up taking advice from this page and learning nothing, which I’m glad for.

Thanks again mate for all your help and advice on this, I'll just learn the train classes rather than over bombard myself with everything. I've heard the IST tutors are great anyway and will find a way of imparting all the knowledge into us, providing we put in the effort and have a willingness to learn.

You seem to have a good balance going on with work and home as it stands, you've got your head screwed on with it all. I'd be like that, we've all worked so blooming hard to get into this position that we would graft our proverbials off to get over the line with becoming a fully fledged signaller.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Mar 2025 ==

LKW & RJG2025, keep your hopes up and keep plugging away, there are a number of us on here (myself included) who have had a very similar email, only for Network Rail to make contact with us further down the line to say we are being offered a position.

I got the call at the end of January to tell me the good news of being offered a position and I'd genuinely thought the ship had sailed on that particular application of mine. Perseverance is key and I'm sure they look out for it in people. It shows that you are keen and aren't willing to give up. Added to the fact that if you get two or three interviews, you kind of get better at doing them too which helps.

Keep going guys, I'm sure you will get there in the end.

 

[Lucas7]

Hi all,

Anyone else here booked in for the York IST starting April 28th?

 

[feaky4]

Hi all,

Anyone else here booked in for the York IST starting April 28th?

Heyo me and dazza and harby are

 

[UPhi]

Hi All,

This thread has been amazing for info and knowledge!

I've applied for a London position and passed all assessments so far.


1. Has anyone interviewed for any London positions?

2. Where is training based in London?

3. What is the Tottenham signal box like? shifts?

Thanks.

 

[Lucas7]

Heyo me and dazza and harby are

Cool, good to know there's a few lads on this forum that'll be there too

 

[Dazza75]

Cool, good to know there's a few lads on this forum that'll be there too

Welcome on board Lucas, we'll look after ya

 

[feaky4]

Yes counting down the days now!

 

[MidSapphire]

Today is the day for my assessment centre interview! Gosh I'm so nervous/excited I couldn't sleep last night. I feel I'm a perfect fit for this role, just worried incase I don't put myself across well. Wish me luck guys time for some last minute revision.

 

[Bexifer]

Today is the day for my assessment centre interview! Gosh I'm so nervous/excited I couldn't sleep last night. I feel I'm a perfect fit for this role, just worried incase I don't put myself across well. Wish me luck guys time for some last minute revision.

Deep breaths, you’ve got this ☺️

 

[feaky4]

Today is the day for my assessment centre interview! Gosh I'm so nervous/excited I couldn't sleep last night. I feel I'm a perfect fit for this role, just worried incase I don't put myself across well. Wish me luck guys time for some last minute revision.

Good luck you’ll do just fine!

 

[Dazza75]

Today is the day for my assessment centre interview! Gosh I'm so nervous/excited I couldn't sleep last night. I feel I'm a perfect fit for this role, just worried incase I don't put myself across well. Wish me luck guys time for some last minute revision.

Go in there and smash it, you'll do the business!

 

[nom de guerre]

Hi All,

This thread has been amazing for info and knowledge!

I've applied for a London position and passed all assessments so far.


1. Has anyone interviewed for any London positions?

2. Where is training based in London?

3. What is the Tottenham signal box like? shifts?

Thanks.

South Tottenham comes under Anglia route so wherever their training centre is (possibly Romford ROC?).

I believe South Tottenham is G5 and 12hr shifts.

 

[Wombat123]

Hello all,

I'm currently a Signaller with Network Rail and have been in the job for almost 4 years now but I'm new to the forum so I apologise if this isn't the best place to ask this. I'll happily be pointed in the right direction. I have an unusual situation and I'm hoping someone else here may have had a similar experience or can perhaps provide some advice.

Firstly, I work in a single-manned location. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in July last year and due to having very high blood sugar levels initially I was started on a course of Gliclazide tablets (which can cause hypoglycaemia) alongside Metformin. As a result I was only allowed to work whilst accompanied. Once my blood sugar levels had stabilised after about 6 weeks, I was able to stop taking Gliclazide and have been on just Metformin ever since and have been able to work alone normally.

The twist is that I was misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes and I found out in October that I actually have late-onset type 1 diabetes or LADA which is a comparatively rare variant of diabetes. This is a progressive disease where my body has still been producing some of it's own insulin but over the past few months this has gradually reduced and in the very near future I will be dependent on injecting insulin, which brings back a very high risk of hypoglycaemia.

I am aware of other Signallers who are insulin-dependent working in single-manned locations. However, I assume they are allowed to do so because most people who are type 1 diabetic have been so from a young age and so they are able to demonstrate that they have good control of their blood sugar levels using insulin. For myself, it will all be new to me and so I doubt I will be allowed to carry on as I am, due to the high risk of having a hypo.

Obviously this is a source of stress for me at the moment as I don't know what it will mean for my job. To exacerbate the situation, I have just become a father for the first time which only adds to the pressure. Does anyone have any insight or has had the same situation before?
Would Network Rail want me to work accompanied while I adjust to taking insulin and how long a period would I need to demonstrate good control for? I imagine it could take months, if not years for me to learn how to medicate properly, and then need a stable period to convince Occupational Health that I'm OK to work alone. Surely they won't want to pay 2 people to do one persons job for such an extended period like that.
Would they look to try and move me to a multi-manned location if possible? This would be a higher grade than I currently work so I can't imagine they will want to do that.
Would they look to move me into another role completely?
Or can they finish me altogether on medical grounds as not fit for the job? i.e should I be starting to think about an alternative career?

I apologise for all the detail but hopefully you can appreciate my concern over the future of my career. I'm just hoping to get an idea of what my fate might be so I can prepare for it when I do start on the insulin. Any help or advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

I have type 1 diabetes and have a lone working signaller medical. They didnt want to give it to me at first, but I pushed back and managed it. If you want to message me, I can tell you who I spoke to to get it approved and the relevant standard for it. Essentially, as long as you satisfy the DVLA criteria to be able to drive, you should be able to get a lone working medical. I had to provide 3 months of libre results showing no hypos where I required medical assistance and a good Hba1c result. You are in a good position as you are likely in the ‘honeymoon phase’ where you are still producing some of your own insulin so your highs/lows shouldn’t be as volatile- my advice would be to get a libre glucose tester asap if you haven’t already and look at getting on an insulin pump. They may ask that until you have this, you’ll need to be accompanied for your shifts. If you have a libre you can set it to alarm you before you go below say 6mmol, so you would always have a chance to correct it before it goes below 5mmol, which is NR’s policy for needing to stop working for 45 minutes.

 

[Bexifer]

How did you get on MidSapphire?